A New York judge overseeing the trial concerning violations of Iran sanctions by several Turkish citizens, including Reza Zarrab and a senior executive of Turkey's state bank, Halkbank, dismissed claims of Fethullah Gülen's involvement in the trial. According to the Associated Press, Mahir Ünal, a senior member of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party, labeled the New York court a political court lacking legal legitimacy on Friday, December 15, and accused U.S. judicial authorities of collaborating with Gülen's network against Turkey. After defense attorneys for Mehmet Hakan Atilla, the former CEO of Halkbank, repeated this accusation, Judge Richard Berman criticized them on Saturday, December 16. He stated that Atilla's attorneys were attempting to divert the case by bringing up Gülen and presenting a baseless theory of foreign conspiracy. The claim of Gülen's involvement arose after Huseyin Kirikmaz, the former police chief of Ankara, testified during Atilla's trial, where he is accused of aiding Iran in circumventing sanctions. However, the former CEO of Halkbank denied the allegations, and Halkbank also rejected any involvement in illegal transfers. Meanwhile, Atilla's attorney described the former police chief's testimony as biased, a statement that was rejected by the New York judge. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has accused Gülen, a cleric critical of the Turkish government residing in the U.S., of orchestrating last year's failed coup and has called for his extradition from the U.S. Gülen denies these accusations, and U.S. officials have refrained from extraditing him to Turkey due to insufficient evidence. In this context, the former CEO of Halkbank denied collusion with Zarrab to circumvent sanctions, and Zarrab claimed he had paid a bribe for his release from prison in Turkey. Erdoğan stated that U.S. courts cannot try Turkey, while the Turkish Prime Minister expressed hope that Zarrab would return from the wrong path.
New York Judge Rejects Claims of Fethullah Gülen's Involvement in Zarrab and Atilla Trial
A New York judge dismissed claims of Fethullah Gülen's involvement in the trial of Turkish businessman Reza Zarrab and former Halkbank CEO Mehmet Hakan Atilla, who are accused of violating Iran sanctions. The Turkish government continues to assert Gülen's culpability in the case, reflecting ongoing tensions between Turkey and the U.S. regarding judicial matters and extradition requests.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
New York judge dismisses claims of Gülen's involvement in Iran sanctions trial against Turkish citizens.
- Judge Richard Berman dismiss claims of Fethullah Gülen's involvement
- Mahir Ünal accuse U.S. judicial authorities
- Huseyin Kirikmaz testify Mehmet Hakan Atilla
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The dismissal of Gülen's involvement may impact Turkey's narrative regarding U.S. judicial actions.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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